United States
The United States, founded in 1776 as a secular republic [1], is a country with significant freedom of religion, thought and speech due to strong constitutional protection. However, recent court rulings regarding freedom of conscience have given special privileges to religious beliefs. Religious groups also command significant influence in United States politics.
More strongly religious states within the US have a lower quality of life (Mississippi and Alabama). More secular states in the US have a higher quality of life (Vermont and New Hampshire).[2]
"If [the United States] should perish, the ruthlessness of the foe would be only the secondary cause of the disaster. The primary cause would be that the strength of a great nation was directed by eyes too blind to see all the hazards of the struggle; and the blindness would be induced not by some accidence of nature or history but by hatred and vainglory."
Contemporary issues[edit]
- America as a Christian nation
- Teach the controversy
- Wedge strategy
- How American Non-Atheists view Atheists
- Abortion
- Gay marriage
- Teacher led school prayer
- Religious police
Legal and constitutional issues[edit]
- Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
- First Amendment
- Free exercise clause
- Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
- Separation of church and state
- Scopes Trial
- Treaty of Tripoli
- United States Constitution
Project Blitz[edit]
Project Blitz are a set of legal bills that are intended to be passed by fundamentalist legislators. They are divided into three categories based on how much opposition they are expected to generate:[3]
- "In God We Trust" bills, displaying of religious symbols in public institutions, "freedom of conscience".
- Official Christian heritage days, religious freedom days that will allow Christian doctrine to be taught in schools.
- Mandating fundamentalist teachings on marriage and sexuality by law.
History[edit]
- George Carlin
- Blue laws
- Founding fathers
- In God We Trust
- Robert Green Ingersoll
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Madison
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Joseph Smith
- Religious test
- Jerry Falwell
- Fred Phelps
People[edit]
- Michael Behe
- William Dembski
- Chris Hedges
- Bill O'Reilly
- Ben Stein
- Ray Comfort (resident, but New Zealand born)
- Kirk Cameron
- Jack Chick
- Francis Collins
- William Lane Craig
- Norman Geisler
- Ken Ham (resident, but Australian born)
- Eric Hovind
- Kent Hovind
- Alvin Plantinga
- Matt Dillahunty
- Pat Robertson
New religious movements and denominations originating in the US[edit]
- Mormonism
- Scientology
- Christian Science
- Unitarianism
- Adventism
- Jehovah's Witnesses
- Pentecostalism
- and a bunch more
References[edit]
External links[edit]
- Americans Place A High Importance On Protecting The Right To Practice Religion Freely., Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 2015
- Tennessee governor vetos law to make Bible the official state book
- And on the seventh day Americans rested – but pass on religion, poll finds
- Man pleads guilty to pulling off Muslim woman's hijab during US flight
- Obama Signs New Law Giving Protection To Atheists
- Allies of Pope Francis say US evangelical Christians are 'not far' from extremists, The Guardian, 13 July 2017